The Tale
by sandninja58
Summary: When a girl with an extrodinary power gets cuaght by the royal guards she must now live in the castle as a servant, never to see her mother again.


**Chapter 1:**

**I Shall Spare You**

Our story takes place Monday 13, March 1598 A.D. (in other words the renaissance time period). This is not a Cinderella or Snow White fairy tale. This is not about fairies coming out of hiding or the cleverness of some evil witch. But it might be about an extraordinary person, jealousy, poverty, tragedy, evil queens, ect. or it might not. Either way it's a good story and I think you're going to like it. We begin in the forest where, yes, there is a cottage. A 14 year old girl and her mother live in it. (Not seven dwarves). This girl has long, gray hair, orange colored eyes, where's a green dress, and she is very smart. Her name is Desserra. Desserra has a secret, but secret is only known her mother. But, Desserra's mother is an old, ill woman, and cannot work so Desserra does all the work.

Everyday Desserra goes to the market to get supplies she thinks might help her mother get well. While Desserra is out in the market, she always thinks of her mother. Wondering if she's ok, if she'll be there when she gets home. They would get her a doctor if they weren't poor. Because they are poor they cannot afford many things at all. So whenever Desserra goes out she pick pockets people. (Meaning she is a thief). She steals food, money, anything she can to help her and her mother survive. One time when she doing this she got caught by the last people you want to get caught by. The castle guards. They were so well trained if you weren't part of the royal family, were one of their workers, or had a personal invitation you wouldn't leave or enter the castle, and of course you couldn't get even close to anyone inside the castle. As I was saying, she got caught and was taken to the castle to be trialed. The queen got one look at her and was already feed up with her. The queen got on her throne in the court and passed judgment on her almost immediately.

"I don't care what this girl was doing!" the queen shouted, "I want her out of this room. NOW! Execute her!" without giving a second thought.

Desserra had to think quickly, "But, your majesty, if I might be so bold, may I work off my debt. I will be anyone of you children's personal servant. Please your majesty I wish not to die." She thought to herself, "how could I beg like that, but it is true. I don't want to die."

The queen had all her children come into the room. A few moments later 3 children came in. Desserra knew to bow almost instantly. Her long hair flew over her head covering her face and most of her body, too. 1 was an 8 year old girl named Amanda. She was the sweetest out of all of them. After her were 2 boys, fraternal twins, 14 years old. One had dark brown hair, his name was Holden. The other had pure black hair, his name was Ian. Desserra found herself thinking about him; maybe she found she liked the prince, anyway. Standing the children was their mother Queen Victoria. (From earlier). She told them, "One of you will have the privilege of having this young lady as your personal servant. She must do what you want at all times." She looked back at Desserra and yelled at her, "Get up child! Present yourself to my children, as formally as you can!" And at once Desserra was sitting up as straight as her back would let her.

When the final decision came to be made Queen Victoria chose her daughter Amanda to be the one who gets the personal servant. Desserra walked up slowly to the person she supposed to take orders from, probably for the rest of her young life.

To Desserra's amazement Amanda wasn't at all what she expected a princess to be. She didn't wear crowns or jewels. She didn't have fancy dresses in her huge closet. And she was very nice. As soon as the queen let everyone out of the court house she talked to Desserra. "Most people would probably look at me and think I could never be a princess or a queen. You didn't, did you?"

"Of course not your majesty. I pity anyone who does think that." Desserra replied.

"Well thank-you Desserra. I'm going to give you sort of a look of how things run around her"

"Yes, ma'am." Desserra followed her round the castle as she explained things to her. First they made it to Desserra's new room. It wasn't a horrible room. It was much nicer than the one she had at her cottage. It had a closet filled with nice dresses, but Desserra wasn't interested with any of them.

"This is going to be your room. Spend as much time as you need up here. I probably won't need you that often, only when I need to get ready for some ball my mother wants me to go to." The princess told her with a sweet smile. She led her into another bedroom. This was her own bedroom. "This is my room. I won't spend much time in here. I manly like to stay outside.

Desserra looked at her with a friendly smile. "Good to know." She said to the princess. They came into another girl's room. It was much fancier then Desserra's or even Amanda's room. She thought for a second that this must be the queen's room, but when she looked in the closet she knew this couldn't be the queen's room. No way could the dresses fit on her.

"This is Emma's room. She…" the princess got cut off by a blonde 14 year old girl.

"Excuse me. I'm Emma. Ian's bride-to-be. Stay out of this room, got it!" she yelled at Desserra giving her a nasty look.

"Yes ma'am." Desserra said giving the same look back. Also feeling a little angry and jealous. She and Amanda left and went to the boys' room.

"This is my brothers' room. They don't spend much time here either." Said as she looked a little hurt. Maybe from the way Emma treated her. She caught up with her cheery attitude again and led Desserra to the last bedroom, the queen's. "This is my mother's room. Never go in here, or she'll kick you out of the kingdom." She told Desserra as if she knew she needed to be told not to.

"You can check on me if you want to, but I will never go in here." Desserra said but she thought to herself what kind of lie that was. One that was half-way true or one she just said to keep herself out of trouble.

Amanda giggled, "Your funny, I think I would much rather have you marry my brother than that awful girl. She's always so mean to everyone."

"So I shouldn't take it personally?"

"No, not really. I don't see why anyone would be mean to you. I think she's mad because Ian doesn't really want to marry her."

"He doesn't? Then why is he?"

"I don't really know. Mother says it's supposed to bring peace between England and France, but I don't see how forcing 2 people to marry each other solves anything."

"Good-point. But she does want to marry him. Does she not?"

"She does actually. He's the only person she's not completely mean to. I feel bad for him, having to marry her. Well I'll show you the rest of the castle." She led them threw a few, long halls until they reach the kitchen. She said, "This is a good place to be because they are always making something really good. It smells delightful, right?"

Desserra sniffed and it was the best smell she has ever smelled. "Yes, Amanda, this is a very delightful smell. What is it?" she said as she was also trying to figure out what the smell was.

"I'm not sure, I'm never really sure what they are making, but it always delicious." Amanda said. They made their way outside; there they walked through the garden where they saw Holden. "My brother is very smart, if only he would act that way. Sometimes he does the weirdest things. He told me one day he wants to wright a book, but he wouldn't tell me what it would be about. I think he doesn't know yet." She told Desserra.

"Maybe he just doesn't want anyone to know, and anyway, it makes it a better surprise. I admire your brother's secrecy." She said with a smile. She waved at Holden and he waved back. "You think it will be ok if we go talk to him?" She says a little shyly.

"um, I don't think I'll get in trouble, I don't know about you." Amanda says sounding a little worried. "Well, I could just tease him saying I got personal servant and he doesn't. Do you think that would be ok?"

"He's your brother, do what you want." Desserra says still looking at Holden.

"Ok well then, come on!" Amanda yells running toward her brother. "Hey Holden!" she gets up next to him. "I'm so happy mother chose me to have a servant and not you. She does everything I want her to, right Desserra." She looks back at Desserra with a smirk.

"Uh, yes ma'am." Desserra says hesitating. She never even imagined herself ever talking to the prince. "I am here to serve, but I can serve you too, if you would like." She said to Holden.

"No thank-you, I think people are people not things to push and boss around." He said looking at Desserra very kindly, then he turned to his sister and said, "Do you feel lucky now, sister?"

Amanda looked at him very scorned and took Desserra's hand and said' "Come on Desserra." And she led them to the dining room. "This is where we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sometimes dessert if mother feels like it. Just to make sure you stay my servant mother will probably want you to carry my food for me. Are you ok with that?" she looked at Desserra as if she was sorry Desserra had to do that.

"I fine, as long as not Emma's servant I think I'll live. So from the kitchen to here, right? That's how I serve your food?" she looked confused.

"Yep, that's how it works around here. Again, I won't make you do many things, but I will have to wake you up in the mornings so mother doesn't get mad. I think you and I will be good friends, don't you?" she says looking very sweet with a smile across her face.

"Yes, I do think so. One thing though. I will get up on my own. I did do all the chores in my cottage." She said suddenly remembering about her mother. "Oh-no!" she thought to herself, "My poor mother. What will happen to her!?" she thought that for a while until the princess led them to the final room the princess was willing to walk to, the library.

"This isn't one of my favorite rooms, but I do like it in here. Ian loves to read day and night." She looked at Desserra and said, "Will you read to me every day, please? I can't read that well yet."

Desserra was still so impressed with how many books they had. They scaled up and down the walls; author after author; book after book. She couldn't believe it. Then when she finally found her train of thought she said, "Yes, and I will teach you every night a little more how to read." She said with a smile across her face.

Amanda was more than happy, then suddenly it was like she just crashed right there. She was asleep. Desserra carried her to her room and closed the door. She realized how late it was and started to head off to her room. She was almost there when Ian came to go to his room. He suddenly got a happier attitude. He said hello, but she paid no attention. She was worried about her mother and how she was doing in the house all by herself. She tried to go to sleep but didn't manage to until midnight. The next morning she woke up before anyone else she made breakfast for herself and got ready to go to work. She helped in the kitchen and setting out the table, she also did some of the cleaning; she just wanted something to keep her mind off of her mother. She remembered the library and all of the books inside. She made her way through hallways and hallways until she reached the library. She grabbed the first book she saw and began to read. She got to page 65 then the breakfast bell rang, and sudden the castle came to life. The kitchen smelled of bacon and eggs and the dining room was full of people and a dog. The library was still empty though. The garden was being tended to and even just now the birds started to chirp.

Instantly Desserra was called to the dining room to serve Amanda her breakfast. "I didn't see you come out of your room. How did you do it?" Amanda whispered to Desserra as she was served her meal.

"I told you I get up early." Desserra said. Queen Victoria called for Desserra and told her to serve the rest of them their meals. Plate after plate she finally finished, already worn-out. She went back to the library and started to read again when Ian and Holden came in. they started to laugh and Desserra walked up to them. "Is it ok if I take this book outside read?" she asked them.

"Um, sure, but make sure it comes back here, ok." Ian said without looking at Holden to make sure it was ok with him, too.

"Thank –you." Desserra said and started heading for the garden. On her way she passed the kitchen and they were cooking again. She took a whiff and thought to herself, "Wow that smells good. I wish I got to eat some." A little depressed she continues to make her way to the garden when queen Victoria came up to her.

"What do you think you're doing with this?" she said pointing at the book.

Desserra bowed hoping that would get her some sympathy. "I was just going to read in the garden you highness." Desserra said as she lifted her head. "I asked your sons if I could borrow the book."

"My sons!?" she said as her face turned red, "Why were you talking to my sons!? You have no right talking to anyone living in the castle!"

Desserra got on her knees without putting the book on the ground. "Oh, I am truly sorry my highness. Please forgive me!" as she said this she thought, "I had permission, who cares if I talked to your sons. They seemed more than happy to give it to me. Whatever, let's see what she has to say." She turned her attention back to queen Victoria.

"Alright, but no more fooling around. I'm going to see what my sons really said." Then she ran with a thunderstorm following closely behind her. She finally got to the library and only Ian was there. She tried to walk as calmly as she could, but couldn't keep her temper under control. "Ian!!!" she yelled at him, "Did you give Desserra permission to read one of our books? You should know how upset I get over that kind of stuff. I raised you better than that! Did I not?" she yelled with a grim look on her face.

"Yes mother, I did give her permission to read the book, but I reminded her to bring it back when she was done. I let her read the book because it can get very dull in here with nothing to do. Why do you think I came here?" Ian said, trying not to show how fearful he really is.

"I thought you came in here to study, NOT for pleaser."

"Reading is pleaser mom. Have you ever even read something you didn't wright?" he said suddenly with more courage.

"Of course I have. What queen doesn't know how to read?" she said getting angrier and angrier. Blowing up like a balloon.

"I don't know, but what amazed me was that she could read and I didn't want to give her a bad impression of us."

"Who cares what she thinks of us!?"

"I do mother, and so Holden and Amanda!" he yelled than quickly ran outside with two books in his hand. He ran to try and find Desserra to give her one of the books that he managed to run off with. He found her with Amanda next to the rose gardens, about to walk into the labyrinth that was ahead of them. He caught up with them, but when he got there he was still painting form running so hard.

"Are you ok, prince?" Desserra said with her hand on his back, trying to relax his mussels.

He caught his breath and held out one of the books, "Here you go. A "welcoming" present. Make sure to hide it from my mother. And call me Ian" He said with a smile.

"Thank-you she took the other book away from me, so, I'm happy you got me another one. Thank-you again." She said looking very happy. Then Princess Amanda tugged on her dress.

"What's the book? What's the book? Remember you said you would read to me every day." She said looking at Desserra very anxious.

"It's Shakespeare! I have never read anything by him before. It's a book of all his poetry. How do you have this!?" she said as if trying to mimic Amanda.

"I take it you like it?" Ian said with a sarcastic voice.

"Yes, yes I love it thank-you Ian!" Desserra said wanting to hug him but didn't because she thought that it would be embarrassing.

Amanda, being the sweetie she is, took them both it to the library and had them both read to her and teach her. After one day she could read most of the "Lover's Complaint" and "The Phoenix and the Turtle". The lunch bell was about ring when Emma came in the room.


End file.
